SPICED WASSAIL MIX

1 cup sugar

1 cup tang

4oz sweetened lemonade mix, like countrytime

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp All spice

Red hots, optional for topping

Combine all except red hots thoroughly

Mix 1 cup boiling water with 3 TBL mix and 1 tsp red hots if using

The BEST Gingerbread House Recipe & Royal Icing Glue

GINGERBREAD

1 cup shortening or butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cups molasses

4 eggs

8 cups flour (may not need it all, but I usually do)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp all spice

1 tsp clove

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

You can make the dough one day and keep it wrapped in cling wrap in the fridge overnight, but let it come back to room temperature before rolling it out. Gingerbread dough is a stiff dough, and when it's cold, it's pretty much impossible to roll out. It's easiest to work with in the few hours after you make your dough.

1.  Cream together shortening & brown sugar

2.  Mix in the molasses and eggs

3.  Add in 6 cups flour and spices

4.  Gradually add in the remaining flour until no longer sticky

5.  Roll dough 1/8” thick *see cutting tip

6.  Place 1” apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet

7.  Chill at least 15 minutes in fridge

8.  Bake at 350 degrees 18-20 minutes.

9.  Let cool 5 minutes on sheet pan then move to cooling rack or towel to completely cool

*CUTTING TIPS:

Don't roll out the dough on the counter and then move the pieces. Instead, roll out the dough directly on the pan or on parchment paper, then lift away the excess.

ROYAL ICING

2 lbs. powder sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

5 egg whites or 1 cup egg whites

Mix all together with electric mixer for about 5 minutes on HIGH, until thick and stiff. Keep covered with moist cloth and plastic wrap until ready to decorate.

GINGERBREAD GLUE – QUICK DRYING

3 TBL meringue powder

1lb. powder sugar

4-6 TBL COLD water

Mix meringue & sugar together

Add water slowly, START with 2 TBL

You want it very thick – a knife should drag through and leave a clean path

IF TOO THICK – add a tiny amount of water

IF TOO THIN – add more sugar

CARAMEL APPLE CIDER

1 Gallon Cider or apple juice (128 oz/16 cups)

2 & 1/2 TBL mulling spice* (substitute 2-3 tsp pumpkin pie spice)

16 Caramels or 1 & 1/4 cup caramel sauce

Whipped cream & caramel sauce for serving (optional)

1.  Put everything in a slow cooker (5-6qt).  If using mulling spices, put them in

     a tea infuser or just strain before serving.

2.  Cook on low 4-6 hours, high 2-3 hours.

3.  Serve and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.

The caramel sometimes separates when the cider is very hot. Just stir before serving.

*see recipe for Williams Sonoma Kopy Kat on this blog.

MULLING SPICES - WILLIAMS SONOMA KOPY KAT

For 5.75 oz of mulling spices:

1 c (2.25 oz) dried orange peel

1/2 C (1.5 oz) cinnamon sticks (pulverized)*

1/4 c (1 oz) whole allspice

1/4 c (1 oz) cloves

To mull cider, gently simmer 1 quart apple cider with 2 TBL mulling spices for up to 20 minutes.  (use a tea ball infuser or just strain before serving)

*To break the cinnamon sticks into chunks I popped them into a ziplock bag then used the flat side of a meat tenderizer to pulverize them.

ANSELMO AWESOME PASTA SAUCE

2 #10 Cans Tomato Sauce (25cups/13lb. 4oz.)

4 Cups Fresh Chopped Onion

2 TBL Minced Garlic

5 lbs. browned hamburger

2 TBL Dried Basil

4 tsp Dried Oregano

2 TBL Salt (I always half this.  You can add more at the end if needed)

Simmer 8 hours

*I have halved this recipe and cooked it in a crock pot and it worked well!

ANSELMO RAVIOLI

PASTA

14 cups four

3 tsp salt

12 egg

6 tsp oil

2 cups water (add it slow, it's easier to add water a little at a time then trying to thicken up the dough)

FILLING

5 lbs. raw hamburger

3 TBL minced garlic

3 TBL dried minced onion

2 TBL oregano

½ TBL salt

1 TBL pepper

Cook all together, drain. (if you cook in water you can break it down really small)

Then add:

4 boxes spinach, chopped really small and squeezed dry

½ cup parmesan cheese

MAKES ABOUT 300 RAVIOLI

BUTTERSCOTCH BALLS

15 frozen dinner rolls (thaw just enough to cut in half to end with 30)

1 pkg stove top butterscotch pudding

¾ cup butter, melted

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ pkg pecans chopped (optional)

About 8 hours or the night before, place rolls in a greased Bundt pan. If using pecans, sprinkle into pan. Combine pudding, butter, sugar and cinnamon. Pour evenly over top of rolls. If using pecans, sprinkle over top. Cover with towel and let rise. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 25-30 minutes.

OVERNIGHT EGGNOG STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

Streusel Topping:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Coffee Cake:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup eggnog

8 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon rum extract

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Eggnog Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons eggnog

1. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with shortening.

2. In small bowl, mix all Streusel Topping ingredients with fork until crumbly; set aside.

3. In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.

4. Beat in 1 cup eggnog, the sour cream, rum extract and eggs until blended.

5. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt.

6. Spread in pan. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter.

7. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

In Morning:

Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover pan; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.

In small bowl, mix all Eggnog Glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over coffee cake. For servings, cut into 5 rows by 3 rows.

EGG NOG COOKIES

1¼ cup sugar

¾ cup butter, softened

½ cup eggnog

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg yolks

1 tsp nutmeg

2¼ cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

Glaze:

1½ cup powdered sugar

3-4 TBL eggnog

additional cinnamon, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is not a typo – 300 is the correct temp for these cookies)

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until fluffy.

3. Add in the eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks. Beat with mixer until smooth.

4. Then add the nutmeg, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix in just until combined. Do not over mix.

5. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. You want to make these cookies on the smaller size because the dough does spread. I made mine around 1½ Tbsp. (only 8 per batch)

6. Bake for 15-18 minutes until edges just start to brown.

7. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool.

8. Mix together the powdered sugar and eggnog to create the glaze.

9. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired. Makes 3 dozen cookies.I used a medium cookie scoop. Baked 15 minutes. Made 35 cookies

EASY GINGERBREAD MEN

(3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, cream the dry pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in egg. Combine flour baking soda, ginger and cinnamon and stir into pudding mix. Cover and chill about an hour until firm. Roll with ¼”dowels. Cook 11 minutes.

EGG NOG PIE

1 pkg instant vanilla or cheesecake pudding

2 cups eggnog
8oz cool whip, divided
1/2 tsp rum extract (optional)
1 graham cracker pie crust

Whisk together pudding mix, eggnog and extract.  Fold in 1 cup of the whipped cream.  Pour into pie shell.  Spread remaining whipped cream all over top of pie or plop dollops around edge.  Sprinkle nutmeg over top of pie.  Refrigerate.

OVERNIGHT EGG NOG FRENCH TOAST

Christmas morning tradition!

Needs no syrup.   But cranberry or any berry syrup is delicious!

If you don't have egg nog you can  use whole milk and add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and a tablespoon of vanilla.

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 TBL corn syrup

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch slices (or 2 Jimmy Johns Loaves)

6 eggs

2 cups prepared eggnog

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1.Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2.Heat the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the mixture begins to boil; remove the mixture from heat, and pour into the prepared baking dish. Place the bread slices atop the brown sugar mixture.

3.Whisk the eggs and eggnog and spices together in a large bowl; pour over the bread slices. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.

4.Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F.   Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator.

5.Bake covered in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Increase heat to 375 degrees F.  Remove the aluminum foil, and continue baking until the top begins to brown, 15-25 minutes more. (20 was perfect)

SPICY CRANBERRY PUNCH

¼ cup red hots

4 cups water

8 cups cranberry juice

6 oz limeaide concentrate

6 oz orange juice concentrate

Melt cinnamon candies in water on low heat.  Mix all together.  Chill until ready to serve.

TOMBALL WASSAIL

8 cups apple cider

2 cups orange juice

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup pineapple juice

12 whole cloves

4 cinnamon sticks

½ cup sugar

Simmer until well mixed.  Makes 11 8oz servings.

EGG NOG MUFFINS/LOAVES

Mix in a medium bowl:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Beat in a large bowl:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups egg nog

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon rum extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Drizzle slowly into egg mixture:

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 cube)

Add:

the flour mixture to the egg mixture until combined well

Add and blend in:

1 (3.4 oz) package instant french vanilla or vanilla pudding

Bake at 350 22-25 minutes for mini loaves or muffins, 45-50 minutes for full loaves. You can get 2 full loaves, 4 mini loaves or 18 muffins from recipe.

Bake 2 large loaves 55 minutes.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes then move to cooking rack. Once cooled, add the glaze below. Let glaze set before storing.

Glaze (may want to ½ this, I had tons left over)

1 cup powdered sugar

Enough eggnog to make a glaze to drizzle over bread (I used 3 TBL)